CMS Sweeps Redlands 4-0 to Capture First Place

Mar 29, 2011

In a highly anticipated weekend, the CMS Softball team took on six-time champion and first place Redlands University in a clash of SCIAC titans. Schedule changes made months ago resulted in a unique, two day - four game format.

The Athenas headed east Friday for the road doubleheader. Four hours later, they headed back to Claremont with two wins built on an impressive 16 runs, 19 hits, six doubles, two home runs, 7-7 stolen bases and stellar steady defense for 7-6 and 9-3 wins.

Saturday, the Athenas hosted the Bulldogs trailing by one in the SCIAC standings. Four hours of excitement later, the squad had recorded two victories (8-3, 5-1) and earned the top spot in SCIAC. The decisive outcomes came off a combined 13 runs, 15 hits, five doubles, one home run, 4-4 stolen bases and consistent execution on defense once again.

Team effort and offensive execution were evident throughout the series. 10 Athenas scored and nine recorded at least one RBI driving a weekend average 7.25 runs per game. The Athenas worked the basepaths as well stealing a perfect 11-11.

Yale led all hitters with a staggering .667 batting average, scoring five runs and driving in four more, while stealing two bases. Her on-base percentage for the weekend was a punishing .750.

Lopez hit .538 on the weekend leading all batters with seven hits including two doubles and two home runs. She drove in eight runs while scoring five herself.

Pera rounded out the attack pacing all scorers with seven runs scored, while batting .545 on the weekend and going 5-5 on stolen bases. Her .667 on-base percentage reflected her relentless attack throughout the four game swing.

Yale, Lopez, and Pera accounted for 59% of CMS' runs scored on the weekend, during a stretch that saw some typical run producers come up short.

In the circle, Amanda Banducci (JR, San Mateo) and Rebecca Gularte (JR, Sunnyvale) were clutch and tenacious. Both went 2-0 on the weekend with impressive numbers:

Banducci pitched eight innings, scattering nine hits and giving up only one unearned run to amass a 0.00 ERA.

Gularte carried the bulk of the load pitching 13.1 innings, giving up 14 hits and four runs to generate a 1.58 ERA.

Both were in total command of their pitches and gave up zero and two walks respectively.

Memorable defense extended beyond the circle. Shortstop Emily Lopez made 17 assists and four put outs without an error on the weekend. Her web gems were numerous, including a leaping catch on a line drive reminiscent of an MLB web gem. She also converted on several ground balls deep in the hole requiring explosive proficiency and an elite throw to get the out. Fittingly, the imminently talented infield anchor made the final out with a diving backhand grab on another line shot to bring the crowd to its feet and seal the four game sweep.

The CMS outfield of Michelle Harvey (SR, San Diego), Megan Morris (JR, Ridgewood, NJ) and Gizelle Pera continued to impress making stretch plays look easy and executing several high level plays. On Saturday, Morris recorded two assists from centerfield: one directly to catcher Katerina Yale for a critical out at the plate, the other a throw from the fence in left-center to Lopez who relayed a perfect strike to Yale for another momentum killing out at the dish.

The Athenas take the field to defend their first place position in the SCIAC standings Saturday, April 2 hosting Pomona-Pitzer. Game one begins at noon.